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UK: HMP Foston Hall still to "come to terms with its new role"

01 October 2007

A follow-up inspection by the Prisons Inspectorate at HMP Foston Hall took place following changes in the womens' estate, which meant that Foston Hall become a local womens' prison, having been previously a training prison for sentenced women, with a relatively settled population. At time of inspection, over a quarter of its population were women on remand. The inspection found that the prison had not yet come to terms with its new role and population. Suicide and self-harm procedures and reception and induction processes were not robust enough to deal with the levels of self-harm and vulnerability among remanded women. Use of force had increased, often to remove ligatures from self-harming women.

Relationships in the prison continued to be broadly good. Women on the convicted wings had adequate time out of cells, with good levels of education and activity. Resettlement work with convicted women was good. However, there were no custody plans for short-sentenced and remand prisoners. Work to support family links, for all women, continued to be unacceptably weak. The prison had failed to adjust to its new role.

"Report on an unannounced short follow-up inspection of HMP Foston Hall 1-3 May 2007", HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (2007) and see also:
http;//inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmiprisons/inspect_reports/hmp-yoi-inspections.html?Foston_Hall.pdf?view+binary